Belgrade Theatre Company, Coventry

September 1961 - June 1962

The Belgrade was the first municipal theatre built in England. Designed by the City Architects, it was opened in March 1958. It was named in recognition of a gift of timber from Yugoslavia, its emblem of the dove expressing the artistic understanding between people and countries.

Anthony Richardson Artistic Director of the Belgrade Theatre Company

Ian McKellen First professional portrait as an actor April 1961

During the summer of 1961, I had successfully auditioned for Derby Playhouse and Hornchurch Theatre but the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry  the first civic theatre built in UK since the Second World War  offered me the highest salary of £9 (about $15) per week to play as cast. Anthony Richardson the artistic director (not Tony Richardson, his contemporary ) must have been impressed by the 21 undergraduate productions I had done at Cambridge. This was the perfect job for a beginner who hadnt been to drama school, joining a company of actors who would work on a different play every two weeks through the year.

There were a number of actors flats adjacent to the theatre in Corporation Street  £3 a week, electricity for heating and cooking was extra. My meagre funds were eked out with the help of the assistants of the Co-operative foodstore opposite  they undercharged us actors.